The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 24, 1998
Filed:
Jun. 23, 1995
Applicant:
Inventor:
Paschal Minogue, Tipperary, IE;
Assignee:
Analog Devices, Inc., Norwood, MA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H02H / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
361 56 ; 361111 ;
Abstract
An apparatus and a method for providing ESD protection in integrated circuits is provided. The apparatus includes ESD protection circuits between interface pins and a substrate of the integrated circuit to discharge ESD current at one interface pin of the integrated circuit through the substrate to an ESD reference point at another interface pin. The ESD protection circuits include reverse breakdown devices that become conductive when a reverse breakdown threshold level is exceeded. The method includes discharging electrostatic charge from a first interface pin of the integrated circuit to a second interface pin through a substrate of the integrated circuit.